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Kudzu

Uses

Principal Proposed Uses

Other Proposed Uses

Kudzu is cooked as food in China, and also is used as an herb in
traditional Chinese medicine
. However, in the United States, kudzu has become an invasive pest. It was deliberately planted earlier this century for use as animal fodder and to control soil erosion. It turned out to be incredibly prolific and soon spread throughout the South like an alien invader. The problem is that kudzu can grow a foot a day during the summer, and as much as 60 feet a year, giving it the folk name "mile-a-minute vine." It swallows telephone poles, chokes trees, and takes over yards.

What Is Kudzu Used for Today?

Besides cooking with it, feeding it to animals, and weaving baskets out of its rubbery vines, kudzu may also be useful in treating
alcoholism
. In Chinese folk medicine, a tea brewed from kudzu root is believed to be useful in sobering up people who are intoxicated by alcohol. Taking the hint, a 1993 study evaluated the effects of kudzu in a species of hamsters known to enjoy drinking alcohol to intoxication.
1
Ordinarily, if given a choice, the Syrian golden hamster will prefer alcohol to water, but administration of kudzu reversed that preference.

This animal study, along with another one involving rats,
3
led to widespread speculation that kudzu may be useful in the treatment of human alcoholism. However, the results of the two small reported human trials are conflicting.
2, 5

In academic Chinese herbology (as opposed to Chinese folk medicine), kudzu has different applications. One classic herbal formula containing kudzu is used for the treatment of
colds
accompanied by pain in the neck. However, there is no scientific evidence that it is effective for this condition.

Kudzu contains
isoflavones
similar to those found in
soy
. These substances are known to have an estrogen-like effect. On this basis, kudzu has been proposed as a treatment for
menopausal symptoms
. However, the one published double-blind trial failed to find benefit.
4

Dosage

The standard dosage of kudzu ranges from 9 to 15 g daily, in tea or tablets.

Safety Issues

Based on its extensive food use, kudzu is believed to be reasonably safe. However, safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with severe kidney or liver disease has not been established.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.